Edmonton, Alberta. This years American Association of Physics Teachers’ (AAPT) Summer Meeting will be held at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. Scientists, students, and all levels of physics educators from across the United States and Canada will assemble to present over 400 discussions and posters related to the theme of this year's meeting: "Physics from the Ground Up." These discussions are among the most unique and diverse of any scientific meeting.

Journalists are invited to cover the meeting on site or by directly contacting the presenters listed below. Some meeting highlights:

Plenary Speakers and Awardees

Monday, July21

Damian Popeis the Senior Manager of Scientific Outreach at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He studied in Australia and holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Queensland. After this, he engaged in two years of postdoctoral research in quantum information and the foundations of quantum theory at Griffith University.

Klopsteg Memorial Award Plenary - Michio Kaku, is a theoretical physicist, best-selling author, and a major popularizer of science in mainstream media. He holds the Henry Semat Professorship in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York (CUNY), where he has taught for over 25 years.

Tuesday, July 22

Robert Wolkowdirects research into using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and other theoretical methods to examine and control molecules on semiconductor surfaces. He is a pioneer in STM techniques and instrumentation. At IBM, he pioneered STM for studying surface chemistry. At the NRC Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences(NRC-SIMS), he and his colleagues used STM and modeling to understand the behavior of organic molecules on semiconductor surfaces. Eventually, they demonstrated self-directed fabrication of organic nano-scaled structures on silicon.

Robert A. Millikan Award Plenary - Eric Mazuris the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University. He is an internationally recognized scientist and researcher, who leads a vigorous research program in optical physics. He has strong interests in education, science policy,outreach, and the public perception of science.

About AAPTAAPT is the leading organization for physics educators—with more than 12,000 members worldwide. Its mission is to enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the AmericanCenter for Physics in College Park, Maryland.